Art "Chief Reason" Goodrich's Blog (109)

Did you feel that this morning?

Don’t by coy.

The tones dropped and you didn’t make the call. Before the first truck could announce “in service”, you were already fabricating your excuse.

But, we know what’s going on, don’t we?

That adrenaline rush that once propelled us to “firefighter of the year” is only a gooey mess of poor descriptions of what is now poor performance.

There was a time not so long ago that you felt like your little village needed…

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Is a broken promise nothing more than a lie?

I believe that it is, even when you factor in “intent”.

When you make a promise, it is not your intent to break it, but it has the same end result as a lie when you fail to deliver on a promise.

To the person to whom the promise was made, it feels like a lie. It’s the same feeling of betrayal, isn’t it?

What about the motivation for the promise?

Was there ever the intent of…

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Note: Chief Mark Wessel of Keokuk, IA Fire Department is to the left. I am to the right.

December, 1999 delivered a major blow to our brotherhood of firefighters.…

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Governor Rendell defended his decision to veto this legislation as “too costly”.

Read the story here: http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2010/11/rendell_vetoes_bill_to_expand.html

I support prudent oversight of tax money, but it unnerves me when I see how tax money is frittered away on low priority expenditures and then, when legislation that is both good policy and good… Continue

Often times, I will get an idea for a blog from something that I have heard or read. At the very least, it will give me pause to ponder some of the more obscure issues of the day and to my own bewilderment, wonder why it isn’t a more compelling story.

The other morning, as I was driving into work, I heard on the radio that many who were donating to food pantries last year at this time, were CLIENTS of those same food pantries THIS year. Those who were giving were now getting, so to… Continue

It has been widely reported through several news outlets that the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) wants to make the more aggressive airline passenger pat-downs so unpleasant, that passengers will want to go through the Backscatter Security Scanners, which are full-body scans that leave nothing to the imagination.

That got me to thinking…

In a metaphorical sense; city governments are TSA screeners and public safety is getting the pat-downs!

So, if any city officials… Continue

“The Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act” would mandate union monopoly bargaining for state and local public safety employees. (See: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=h111-413 and http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=s111-1611)



It would force police,… Continue

Note: Dad is on the right as you look at the picture.



The envelope measured four inches wide by six inches long. It has held up rather well. It almost has a waxy feel to it. I am sure that it was white at one time, but is now a dark beige color.



In the top, left corner scribbled in pencil is: “after 5 days return to Pvt. W. H. Goodrich, Fort Leavenworth Kans".



At the top, middle of the envelope is a… Continue

That is in the metaphorical sense. A hand was extended and I "grabbed" it. Thank you so much, Bobby Halton.

I have not been active on the fire ground for 8 years, but I remain active in our fire department as president of its board of trustees.

Before some of you get the wrong idea, I want you to know that NOTHING comes before the safety and well-being of our firefighters.

I am true blue collar firefighter who has enjoyed the highs and suffered the lows of this great… Continue